When Leaders Don’t Lead

I can’t help thinking that the continuing press by many citizens for external oversight of their police is the result of a failure in police leaders to do exactly that.

Police Chiefs and Sheriffs have a moral and civic responsibility to be accountable to both the men and women they lead AND the citizens to whom they are sworn to serve and protect.

We will see how this trend progresses. So far, it appears to me that sheriffs ( being directly elected by the community) may have a better understanding of this responsibility.

In the meantime, calls for accountability (especially with regard to use of deadly force) will continue.

Here’s what is happening in Los Angeles County:

“Los Angeles County residents granted subpoena power to a watchdog civilian commission monitoring the Sheriff’s Department by supporting a measure on Tuesday’s primary election ballot.

“Measure R, or the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission Ordinance, which will give the panel the authority to conduct its own investigations of the sheriff’s department, rather than working through the Office of Inspector General, was strongly backed by voters. The measure includes granting subpoena power to the nine-member commission…”

Read more about it HERE.